Ready to remodel in 2018? Get inspired by these bathroom projects that are less than 60 square feet
In 2017, we featured lots of inspiring bathroom remodels, but it was the smaller bathroom transformations that really had us saying wow. Many times, we could hardly believe it was the same space.
Let’s take a look at nine bathroom makeovers that happened within 60 square feet or less. Maybe these will inspire you to overhaul your bathroom in 2018.
1. Dark to Light
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A family’s guests, including the couple’s four adult sons
Location: Barrie, Ontario
Size: 50 square feet (4.6 square meters)
Before. Even accounting for the fact that this reference photo was snapped without a flash, the dark finish on the walls and countertops made the bathroom feel small and cramped.
After. A new color palette made all the difference, making the space feel light, airy and downright delightful. The client didn’t want an all-white bathroom that felt stark, so designer Laura Hay chose whites that had a more warm, limestone look. Other than the color, the family also updated the windows, vanity, sink, tub-shower combo and mirror.
Wall color: Worldly Gray, Sherwin-Williams; vanity color: Aesthetic White, Sherwin-Williams; countertop and shower surround: London Gray, Caesarstone; sconces and vanity hardware: Restoration Hardware; vanity, storage cabinet and mirror: Timeless Millwork
2. Cumbersome to Practical
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A mother and her teenage daughter
Location: Toronto
Size: 50 square feet (4.6 square meters)
Before. Baby blue tile lined a shower that leaked.
After. Bright white wall tiles and a glass tub-shower enclosure update the room and brighten up the once-dark space. Kate Dickson, principal of Kate Dickson Design, started the redesign by introducing the floor tile to the clients. They loved it right away.
After that, Dickson worked with a local millworker to create custom cabinetry that would maximize the clients’ storage options.
Floor tiles: Betty cement encaustic tiles, Saltillo Imports; shower wall tile: Ceragres; shower system: Disegno via Aquadesign; tub: Sydney, Hydro Systems via Home Depot; sink: Vox Square, Kohler; custom vanity: JMAC Productions
3. Eww to New
Bathroom at a Glance
Who lives here: Steven and Katie Schiffgen
Location: Cottonwood Heights area of Salt Lake City
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Before. The home, built in 1983, had its original bathroom, which felt outdated and dingy to the homeowners.
After. The homeowners ripped everything out of the bathroom but salvaged the shower and tub. Then, they cut wood themselves to make shiplap, installed a new double vanity, tiled the shower and painted the room for a whole new look. They did all of the above and more for $1,000.
Paint on walls: Aesthetic White, Sherwin-Williams; Hainsbrook vanity lights: Allen + Roth, Lowe’s; double vanity: National Product Sales; terrarium: HomeGoods; floor tile: Floor & Decor
4. Cluttered to Crisp
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A couple
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Size: About 45 square feet (4 square meters)
Before. The 1980s renovation left these empty nesters with a cluttered, inefficient bathroom that didn’t match their updated kitchen nearby.
After. A clean, streamlined design by Susan Ozipko of sO Interiors gives the couple function and storage in a small space. The new features, such as the floating toilet and vanity, sit against a wall of statuario marble tiles. The homeowners replaced the tub-shower combo with a glass-doored shower.
Toilet: Starck 3, Duravit; wall tile: Ciot; faucet: Delta; counter: Caesarstone; pendants: Tech Lighting
5. Failing to Refreshing
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: Marita Lynott
Location: Rockville, Maryland
Size: 40 square feet (3.7 square meters)
Before. Leaky pipes, a falling towel rack and other functional issues pushed this homeowner to start imagining a new space.
After. A mellow blue and white palette for the walls and vanity complements the new shower tile and vanity countertop. Lynott had the contractor remove everything that existed in the space and found materials that gave her an elevated look for less. For example, she used porcelain tile in the shower instead of marble and used imitation marble tiles on the floor.
Wall paint color: Woodlawn Blue HC-147, Benjamin Moore; vanity: Brook Haven, Presidio Raised, Wood-Mode; knobs: Atlas; toilet: Kohler; medicine cabinet: Robern; faucet: Devonshire widespread bathroom sink faucet, Kohler; sink: Devonshire undermount sink, Kohler
6. Sad to Happy
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A couple and their two kids
Location: Chevy Chase, Maryland
Size: 45 square feet (4.1 square meters)
Before. An unfinished bathroom in the basement rarely got used, as it only had a working sink and this towel bar.
After. A finished bathroom, complete with a shower, makes use of a once-forgotten part of the family’s home. Interior designer Melissa Cooley and project developer TJ Monahan of Case Design/Remodeling took cues from the rest of the family’s home and gave them a streamlined bathroom with a yellow accent. To make the small space feel more open, the design team installed a floating vanity.
Vanity: custom-made with walnut, Crystal Cabinet Works; sink: Aquamedia, Lacava; faucet: Siderna, Brizo; flooring: porcelain tile, Architectural Ceramics; shower walls: ceramic tile, Architectural Ceramics; shower seat: teak folding shower seat, Signature Hardware
7. Uncomfortable to Luxe
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: Adult daughters home for a visit or other overnight guests
Location: Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Size: 52 square feet (just under 5 square meters)
Before. The 1970s fixtures and finishes had seen better days and the toilet and tub were uncomfortable.
After. The black-and-white ceramic tiles on the floor make a fun and fresh statement in the narrow space. Designer Susan Klimala of The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn then added in more black, white and gray features to keep the palette calm and inviting. The most dramatic change comes at the end of the room, where Klimala replaced the brown tub with a sleek white tub and sliding glass door.
Wall paint: Solitude, Benjamin Moore; Damask vanity with rollout shelves and internal outlets: Kohler; mirrors: Levico, Restoration Hardware; sconces: Cafe Series, Gatco; faucets: Kelston, Kohler; bathtub: Bancroft, Kohler; tile: Twenties Classic, Merola Tile, Home Depot;
8. Glum to Gleeful
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A creative couple
Location: East Vancouver, British Columbia
Size: 42 square feet (4 square meters)
Before. Black-veined tile covered more than half the wall and made the bathroom look really dark.
After. White tiles cover the walls and floor, making the space light and airy. Next, Tanya Mclean and Nichole Skladan of Mango Design Co brought in teak and brushed gold materials to give the couple the midcentury style they wanted. Then, the design team added a boho rug, a paisley shower curtain and pieces of the couple’s art collection to give it a personal, and fun, feel.
Ceiling and wall paint: Cloud White, Benjamin Moore; toilet: Kohler; shower curtain: Simons; bathtub: Starck by Duravit; rug: Urban Outfitters; shower system: Kohler
9. Blah Beige to Beautiful Blue
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A couple
Location: San Jose, California
Size: 56 square feet (5.2 square meters)
Before. A bulky vanity and a sliding shower door make this Eichler home’s bathroom feel cramped and dark.
After. Vibrant blue tiles in an oversized hexagon pattern give the bathroom an immediate focal point. Next, the client got design advice from designer Pamela Lin of Urbanism Designs and had this custom vanity made for the space. Across from the vanity, the bathroom has a tub-shower combo with a glass panel.
